Combined ball paddle and catching receptacle



Feb. 19, 1963 HYMAN 3,078,099

COMBINED BALL PADDLE AND CATCI-IING RECEPTACLE Filed Sept. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 M9! QQ 2 1 INVENTOR. LI LU AN H YM N L. HYMAN 3,078,099

COMBINED-BALL PADDLE AND CATCHING RECEPTACLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Feb. 19, 1963 Filed Sept. 2, 1960 INVENTOR. LILLIAN HVMAN ATTORNEY United tts Filed Sept. 2, 1960, Sen. No. 53,701 2 Claims. (Q1. 27396) This invention relates generally to games and more particularly to a paddle or bat to be used in playing a game in which a ball is used.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a paddle or bat with a flat surface on one side for striking a ball and with a receptacle on the opposite side for catching a ball.

The invention comprises a paddle or bat having a broad fiat body from one end of which extends a handle suitably shaped to be grasped by the hand of the player for manipulating the paddle or bat. One side of the body provides a ball striking surface, and on the other side there projects a receptacle for catching a ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paddle or bat of this kind that requires a degree of skill and exercise on the part of the player to manipulate while serving to train the eye and hand.

A further object, according to a modification of the invention, is to provide a paddle or bat having a striking surface on one side and a plurality of receptacles on the opposite side, providing a selection of receptacles wherewith to catch the ball.

It is also proposed to provide a paddle or hat of this kind that is simple in construction and that can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a paddle embodying one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 2A is a top plan view of a ball used with the paddle.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a paddle embodying a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3 and showing a ball in dot-dash lines leaving the receptacle.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a paddle embodying another modified form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of attaching the basket supporting hoop.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the basket supporting hoop of FIG. 7.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a paddle or bat made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention is shown and designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The paddle 10 is formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal or the like, and comprises an elongated fiat body 12 substantially round in configuration. The body tapers gracefully at one end as indicated at 14 and terminates in a handle 16 having a round extremity 18. The surfaces on both sides 19 and 21 of the body are fiat and smooth. The paddle is preferably approximately nine inches long, four inches at its widest part and approximately one-quarter inch thick, but may be larger or smaller if desired.

In carrying out the invention, a receptacle in the form of a tubular basket 20 is positioned on the body portion centrally thereof. The basket is formed of woven strips of semi-rigid plastic and tapers from end to end. The wider end of the basket is formed of wide curved loops 24 crossing each other with the closed ends outwardly and forming a closed peripheral edge 26. The narrower end is formed of similar plastic strips criss-crossed and woven closely as indicated at 28. The closely woven strips terminate in loose unattached ends 30. The loose ends curve slightly outwardly. A pair of rings 32 of similar material connect the loosely and tightly woven ends of the basket. The wide end of the basket is seated on the side 19 of the body of the paddle and is fastened thereto by staples 34 spanning the closed ends of the wide loops 24 and penetrating the material of the body of the paddle. The basket may, of course, be made of any suitable semirigid material, and any suitable fastening devices may be used to fasten the basket to the body of the paddle.

The opening in the outer end of the basket is restricted but sufiiciently wide to permit a ball such as the ball 36 shown in FIG. 2A to pass therethrough into the basket where it will be held against accidental falling out during certain stages of a game for which the paddle or bat is adapted.

With so broad a striking face on the side 21, it is not at all difficult to strike a ball and propel it away from the paddle or bat, but it becomes considerably more difiicult to so place the paddle or bat as to cause a swiftly moving ball to pass through the restricted opening in the basket and lodge in the basket 20 and be retained therein.

If the play is made by a single person, the ball is struck by the side 21 and driven up into the air and the endeavor is made to catch the ball in the basket, but if two or more players be engaged in the game then the ball may be propelled from player to player by striking the ball with the side 21, and in accordance with the manner of playing the game endeavor may be made at prearranged times to catch the ball in the basket portion of the paddle or bat.

The modified form of paddle or bat 10' shown in FIG. 3 and 4 differs from the paddle or bat 10 in that opposed openings 40, 40 are formed in the basket 20 at the junction of the widely woven and closely woven portions of the basket. These openings provide ready means for removing the ball 36 from the backet as shown in FIG. 4. It is merely necessary for the player to insert his finger through one of the openings and push the ball outwardly through the other opening.

Referring now to the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in this form the paddle or bat 10 is similar to the paddle or bat 10, but instead of a. single basket being mounted on the flat portion 12 of the body of the paddle, a number of spaced baskets 20 three being shown, are provided around the periphery of the fiat broad portion 12 of the paddle.

Each basket 20*- has a conical body 42. formed of plastic netting with one end 44 closed and formed of plastic sheet material. The body is supported and suspended from a frame in the form of a split ring 46 of springy round wire which passes through undulations 4 8 formed in the wide or mouth end of the basket. The free ends 50 of the ring or loop extend at right angles to the body of the ring and in closely juxtaposed relation across the peripheral edge of the body 12 of the paddle or bat and are fastened to the side 19 of the paddle by means of staples 52.

The frame 46 may, however, have its free ends 50 formed with spherical enlargements 54 midway the ends thereof as shown in FIG. 8 and when so formed may be fastened to the body 12 of the paddle or bat 10 shown formed of plastic material in FIG. 7 by closing the free ends to close juxtaposition and inserting the closely spaced free ends through a recess 56 formed in the pe- 3 ripheryof the body 12 of the paddle and releasing the closing pressure on the free ends so that the ends may spring apart and automatically lodge the enlargements 54 in a slot 58 formed in the body of the paddle and inter- .secting the recess 56 outwardly of the inner end of said recesswas shown in FIG. 7.

5 One of the baskets 20 is shown positioned at the extreme end of the body of the paddle and one at each side of the bodybut any desired numberof baskets may be used and positioned at any points desired.

In using the paddle or bat of FIGS. 5 and 6, the surface 19 may be used for striking the ball 36 and by properly manipulating the paddle or bat, the ball may be caught in either of the three baskets 20 In order to make the game interesting, the surface 19 of the body of the paddle may be marked with markings indicating various points scored by catching the ball in the respective baskets, such as ten points for catching the ball, in the basket at the end of the paddle and twenty points for catchingthe ball in eachof the side baskets.

The paddle 10" and the basket holding rings 20 may also be made integral, of plastic or any other suitable material.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patentis:

1. A bat comprising abroad flat elongated body portion of great length than breadth,- with a handle projecting from-one end lengthwise of the body portion, one side of :the body portion having a smooth surface designed to strike a ball, and a tubular basket attached to the other side of the body portion, said basket having a conicalshaped body with the wider end thereof composed of widely woven plastic strips, the narrower end thereof composed of tightly woven plastic strips, said wider end seated on and secured to said other side of the body portion, the narrower end constituting the mouth of the basket and of a size to be readily traversed by the ball whereby the ball is adapted to be retained in the basket, the outer ends of the tightly woven plastic strips being loose and unattached and curved slightly outwardly.

2. A bat comprising a broadfiat elongated body portion of greater length than breadth, with a handle pro jecting from one end lengthwise of the body portion, one side of the body portion having a smooth surface designed to strike a ball, and a tubular basket attached tojthe other side of the body portion, said basket having a conical-shaped body with the wider end thereof com posed-of widelywoven plastic strips, the narrower end thereof composed of tightly woven plastic strips, said wider end seated on and secured to said other side of the body portion, the narrower end constituting the mouth of the basket and of a size to be readily traversed by the ball whereby the ball is adapted to be retained in the basket, the outer ends of thetightly woven plastic strips being loose andunattached and curved slightly outwardly, the conical-shaped bodymidway its ends having opposed openings to facilitate removal of the ball from the interior of the basket.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT S 1,121,184 Hobbs Dec. 15, 1914 1,184,822 Caplette May 30, 1916 1,671,749 Spaulding May 29, 1928 2,025,995 Lerch Dec. 31, 1935 2,194,761 Maihack Mar. 26, 1940 2,218,055 Singer Oct. 15, 1940 2,382,513 Singer Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS "322,505 Great Britain Dec. 9,1929 1,150,953 France Aug. 19, 1957 

1. A BAT COMPRISING A BROAD FLAT ELONGATED BODY PORTION OF GREAT LENGTH THAN BREADTH, WITH A HANDLE PROJECTING FROM ONE END LENGTHWISE OF THE BODY PORTION, ONE SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION HAVING A SMOOTH SURFACE DESIGNED TO STRIKE A BALL, AND A TUBULAR BASKET ATTACHED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION, SAID BASKET HAVING A CONICALSHAPED BODY WITH THE WIDER END THEREOF COMPOSED OF WIDELY WOVEN PLASTIC STRIPS, THE NARROWER END THEREOF COMPOSED OF TIGHTLY WOVEN PLASTIC STRIPS, SAID WIDER END SEATED ON AND SECURED TO SAID OTHER SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION, THE NARROWER END CONSTITUTING THE MOUTH OF THE BASKET AND OF A SIZE TO BE READILY TRAVERSED BY THE BALL WHEREBY THE BALL IS ADAPTED TO BE RETAINED IN THE BASKET, THE OUTER ENDS OF THE TIGHTLY WOVEN PLASTIC STRIPS BEING LOOSE AND UNATTACHED AND CURVED SLIGHTLY OUTWARDLY. 